The Mekong Delta region or the “9-dragon delta”, is an administrative region of southern Vietnam covering a significant part of the Mekong River Delta. 3 days in Mekong Delta is a better idea to understand not only the culture, the customs but also the lifestyle of the inhabitants. Here are the best places and most interesting activities to spend time on in Mekong Delta on your tour to Vietnam.
Mekong Delta
Best Time to Visit Mekong Delta
This region has three distinct seasons: the floating season (September to December), the rainy season (May to October) and the dry season (January to April). The Mekong Delta welcomes you at any time of the year, it will offer you each year of different types.
However, best time for your 3 days in Mekong Delta is the floating season from September to December when this region has a pleasant climate with a very low probability of rain.
Some Tips for 3 Days in Mekong Delta
- The delta is a beautiful, majestic and so worth-seeing area. The space around Coco Riverside is especially phenomenal.
- If you come from Hoi An, you do not need to go back through Saigon to reach Mekong Delta. Instead, there is a direct flight on Vietjet between Da Nang and Can Tho.
- Try to vary the crops, spending 3 days in the coconuts is a bit heavy but a lot of fun.
Suggested Itineraries for 3 Days in Mekong Delta
Itinerary 1: My Tho – Ben Tre – Can Tho – Chau Doc
Day 1: My Tho – Ben Tre – Can Tho
Vinh Trang Pagoda
Vinh Trang Pagoda
Built-in 1849 amidst splendid trees, Vinh Trang is the largest pagoda in the province of Tien Giang. The perfect harmony between the Asian and European architectural styles gives it beauty without equal. The pagoda houses many precious wooden statues, especially those of 18 Arhats, made in 1907 and representing the peak of the sculpture of the Mekong Delta.
Turtle Island
Con Quy (Turtle Island) is one of four islets located on the My Tho River. It is far 22km from the city of Ben Tre. This place is always a wild and rustic beauty for tourists to enjoy a mild and cool climate all year round.
Also, you can walk on monkey bridges – a kind of very popular bridge in the countryside, on the river or visit the coconut candy making facilities and craft remove from coconut.
Ecotourism area of An Khanh
This site is located near the Rach Mien bridge, you can walk through this ecotourism area by cruising on a sampan under the shade of coconut palms along the natural canals. Then, enjoy seasonal fruits and honey tea, to the sound of Southern folk songs performed by artists from the region. After that, visit a family business and observe the pastoral life of the inhabitants.
Day 2: Visit the Floating Market
Option 1: Cai Be Floating Market
Located 140-150 km from Ho Chi Minh City, the Cai Be Floating Market (Tien Giang province) has become a meeting point for traders (sellers and buyers) and one of the favorite destinations for tourists passing through the region… The main originality of the Cai Be market lies in the way sellers hang their goods on long poles at the front of their boat to help customers identify what is on sale.
Cai Be Floating Market
Option 2: Cai Rang Floating Market
Located on the Can Tho River, 5km from the city center, the Cai Rang Floating Market is the best place for visitors to this region. This is one of the most famous floating markets in Can Tho that specializes in buying and selling fruit and agricultural products. Everyday, you can admire hundreds of boats parked next to each other creating a colorful and unique picture of this special destination on your tour to Southern Vietnam.
Cai Rang Floating Market
Day 3: Chau Doc
Chau Doc Floating Fishing Farms
You can have the opportunity to discover the very unique floating fishing farms during your 3 days in Mekong Delta. You should visit these farms by boat to better understand the method of fish farming of the inhabitants of this region. It is a traditional and unique method that you should not miss as well.
Cham Village in Chau Doc
This is one of must-visit places during your trip in the Mekong Delta. The main activities are visiting a traditional weaving workshop and a mosque. They are also two important places because they present the specificities of the culture and the inhabitants of Chau Doc.
Itinerary 2: My Tho – Ben Tre – Gao Giong – Sa Dec
Day 1: Visit the sights as option 1
Day 2: Admire the beauty of the flowers
Flower Village of Sa Dec
Not only during the Tet days but also at any time, you can visit and take pictures in the flowery village of Sa Dec. The Flower Road Sa Nhien – Cai Dao is the main road of the village with a length of 2 km and all kinds of flowers in competition. Besides, visitors can see people here uniquely carrying the flowers.
Ecotourism area of Gao Giong
Founded in March 2003, the eco-tourism site of Gao Giong has become an attractive destination for domestic and foreign tourists in southwest Vietnam. Gao Giong is at its peak during the flood season with a huge area. Surrounding are the yellow sesbania sesban flowers, the red water lilies, the violet Indian lilac, the pink lotus flowers, and the green juniper forests. The whole thing is a romantic scene that you cannot find anywhere else.
Day 3: Discover the historical and religious monuments
Kien An Cung Pagoda
Kien An Cung Pagoda is a cultural project with unique and beautiful architecture. The pagoda is characterized by Chinese architecture. You can also have a chance to visit Dong Thap, you visit Kien An Cung pagoda to admire the achievements of ancient beauty.
The former home of Huynh Thuy Le
The home where Huynh Thuy Le spent his life is a cultural space that has been chosen as a must-see destination for any tourist visiting Dong Thap Province. This house was built in 1895 in Sa Dec. The old house of Huynh Thuy Le is the harmonious combination of Eastern and Western architecture. In 2013, it was in the Top 100 “Most Impressive Destinations of Vietnam” by the UNESCO Association of Vietnam.
Best Food to Try for 3 Days in Mekong Delta
Grilled snails with peppers
Can Tho is for those inexpensive but delicious dishes like grilled snails with pepper. You’ll fall in love with this typical flavor, a mix of sweet, salty and spicy. Fresh local snails are grilled on coals. They can be cooked in water before grilling. During cooking, fish brine is mixed with pepper and chopped garlic.
Nem nuong (Vietnamese grilled pork sausages)
By tasting the dish, you will feel the aromas of meat, sweet and sour sauce, crisp and spicy mixture – a very interesting experience. In particular, this food is served with a green papaya salad that brings an extra taste. Moreover, there is a plate of fresh herbs and vegetables for you to wrap all the ingredients in rice paper and dip in a special sauce.
Grilled fish
It is a specialty of Dong Thap. The fish is grilled in the authentic style of southern farmers. A bamboo stick in the fish roasted in the coal flame. Then, the fish is wrapped in a fresh lotus leaf. The scent of grilled fish mixed with the pleasant smell of the lotus leaf is something that delta tourists never forget.
Siamese fish soup of mud carp and sesbania sesban
Sesbania sesban flowers are all fresh from a tree. The cook put them clean in a basket with other vegetables. The fish is sweet and the flowers slightly bitter, creating a wonderful taste to try on your trip to Vietnam.
Banh Xeo (Xeo cake)
This crispy cake has the specificity of being wider than that of the Center or the North. We distinguish its taste thanks to the coconut milk whose filtering is the secret of its delicious flavor. On the side of the game-changing ingredients, the crepe covers mushrooms, bacon, green beans, and other vegetables, but also herbs of all kinds generally from the South. You can enjoy the best of it in the famous fish sauce of Vietnam.
